Rangatahi are addressing issues of substance that are relevant to their communities at Tairāwhiti Ngā Manu Kōrero secondary school speech competition in Ruatōrea.
Materoa Rewiri from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Horouta Wānanga says, “Suicide is a serious issue in the Gisborne area and I wanted to talk about it here at Ngā Manu Kōrero.”
The Manu Kōrero competition is providing a platform where rangatahi can discuss serious topics such as mental health and depression.
Paenoa Pahuru Huriwai from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti says, “We [males] are extremely stern these days, very stubborn because we aren't confident at expressing our thoughts, we're not very good at expressing our emotions like our sisters are.”
Addressing Māori male suicide in the prepared speech section, Rewiri took out the Korimako Senior English section.
“My words of encouragement for men in Aotearoa; if something is weighing down upon your shoulder, talk to someone, don't leave it to be a burden upon your shoulders.”
Challenging the use of European teachings in Māori education, Tyrone Bird took out the Pei Te Hurinui Jones Senior Māori section.
“For Māori who are consuming European narratives, I say give me the Māori teachings about the void, the night and the world of light so that I may know I have a spirit, stop giving me the narratives of the father, the son and holy ghost,” says Bird.
The national Manu Kōrero competition will take place in Te Papaioea in September.
Ngā Hua O Te Manu Kōrero, Tairāwhiti
Pei Te Hurinui Reo Maori Pakeke
1 Tyrone Bird Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hawaiki Hou
2 Mawai Chaffey Tolaga Bay Area School - Kuranui
3 Kiana Ria Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngā Uri a Māui
Korimako Reo Pākeha Pakeke
1 Materoa Rewiri Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Horouta Wānanga
2 Kiana Ria Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ngā Uri a Māui
3 Paige Richter Lytton High School
Rāwhiti Ihaka Reo Maori Taina
1 Zion Birch Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hawaiki Hou
2 Te Ahikaroa Maxwell Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Horouta Wānanga
3 D’vante Tautau-Broughton-Tuapawa Tolaga Bay Area School – Kuranui
Ta Turi Kara Reo Pākeha Taina
1 Te Paea Maurirere Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Horouta Wānanga
2 Mairangi Campbell Gisborne Boys High
3 Riley Morgan Tolaga Bay Area School – Kuranui